Technical Can we talk about the Halo?

[FB]

They're thinking about some sort of extra protection in Indycar as well.

Herta, Hunter-Reay undecided over IndyCar cockpit protection

 

[ATL11]

After Red Bull have shelved the Canopy after it failed a test! So instead of developing it further for 2018, instead they will focus on their 2017 car instead.

So it looks like the Halo (though now Halo 2) will be what we'll see on the new, improved, sexy & go faster style of 2017. Which will be a bit like putting a roof rack on a Porsche 911.

Austrian GP: Ferrari to test 'Halo Two' in Friday practice - Austrian GP: Ferrari to test 'Halo Two' in Friday practice

 

[KekeTheKing]

Apparently the FIA has set a July 15th deadline to decide whether these ridiculous "halo's" will be seen on the 2017 cars.

Moving forward with this "halo" is literally the death-knell for open cockpit racing, because when it inevitably fails in stopping an injury, the only thing left will be a fully enclosed cockpit.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Very encouraging news regarding the Halo. Red Bull will not give the FIA it's seal of approval and Force India will not support it either. RBR just bumped up a notch in my estimation.

Red Bull tests F1 halo but plans to vote against its introduction

 

[FB]

Why does the pillar at the front have to come down in the middle, right in the drivers eye line? Surely an inverted U shape at the front would offer as much protection and not impair the drivers view as much?

 

[cider_and_toast]

I can't see how the drivers can maintain focus with that pillar there. It would be like having a large object in the foreground of a picture when you are trying to focus on the distanc with a digital camera. The camera constantly switches focus between near and far. The drivers eyes will have to cope with focusing down the track and not on the Halo pillar. I'd bet as sure as eggs are eggs a driver couldn't do that for a full race.

 

[vintly]

• Two eyes (not one lens) focussing way down the road means the central pillar blurs out and effectively disappears. And driving straight is like, duh, easy.

• An inverted U would mean the side-supports would block the wing mirror view and/or apex view.

• The above two points are definitely maybe right or wrong, borne form wine and knee-jerk reactive tendencies.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Your theory may work for a pair of eyes looking straight ahead with the pillar in the middle but a drivers head moves left and right, has to identify braking points to the side etc therefore the pillar my be predominate in his left eye then his right eye then back to the middle. I can't see how he could focus on the road ahead effectively.

 

[vintly]

You've answered your own question cider_and_toast: 'focus on the road ahead'. They're not focussing on the pillar, but on the road ahead.

Anyroad (pardon the pun), it's a moot point - drivers say visibility isn't really an issue.

 

[cider_and_toast]

For a few test runs yes but no one has tried it for a full race distance yet. Also, if you see my first post I talked about the difficulty in focusing on the far with something in the foreground. Try sitting and watching the TV with a broom stick 30cm in front of your face.

 

[vintly]

I have, using a remote control not a broomstick. There's a sort-of blurred shape there, but I can still make out every detail on the screen. Shut one eye and it's a different story.

I concede that it's not been fully tested, and there may yet be further issues. But with respect, surely you have to admit that they've put a fair amount of thought into it with regards to visibility.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I would like to think they have.

A good debate though.

 

[Bill Boddy]

.... Shut one eye and it's a different story.....

So one anyone with vision in one eye only could not use this device.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

And what about poor Nico Hulkenberg?

 

[vintly]

So one anyone with vision in one eye only could not use this device.

Ah, well, good point. If the halo was made out of glass then I guess it's alright.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Brilliant idea, ever seen a windscreen that has shattered? You should put it to the FIA, they might give you a medal.

Yes, I do understand sarcasm.

 

[KekeTheKing]

So the FIA let their self imposed July 15 deadline pass quietly. Then they put a nice little worst-case scenario montage together to try and "shock" the drivers into submission. I suppose they left out the part where it's obvious that even a halo couldn't have possibly prevented Jules' injuries.

Scrap this thing already!!!

 

[Greenlantern101]

Why can't they do the halo with a windscreen that would solve the Massa factor.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I'm of the opinion that they shouldn't try and protect a driver from every single "one-in-a-billion" eventualities. Because once you go down that road, where do you stop?

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Good news! The F1 strategy group voted against introducing the halo in 2017 so it's postponed until 2018 at the earliest.